Fred Thompson

thank you __PUNCT__

wow __PUNCT__ i appreci you be here __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__ mack __PUNCT__ for that wonder introduct __PUNCT__

as far as i concern it is mack world __PUNCT__

what do you think __PUNCT__ that video bring_back a lot of old memori __PUNCT__

all you young fella out there with that good __PUNCT__ look head of hair it mai not alwai be there __PUNCT__

enjoi it while you can __PUNCT__

thi is a wonder turnout __PUNCT__

i can't tell you how much i appreci it __PUNCT__

we got jeri parent __PUNCT__ ron and vicki keller here from napervil __PUNCT__ il over here __PUNCT__

i want to thank my in __PUNCT__ law for come __PUNCT__ make sure i do thi right __PUNCT__

and aunt dian and cousin jess from omaha __PUNCT__

so we took thi opportun to have a midwestern famili reunion right here __PUNCT__

i want to tell you how special thi dai is for us __PUNCT__

special for me __PUNCT__

special for my famili __PUNCT__

thi is the first event of the first dai of our campaign for the presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__

how special doe that get __PUNCT__ and it is so appropri that we right here __PUNCT__

becaus in case some person somewher in the unit state of america doesn't know thi it all begin in iowa __PUNCT__ and that where we want to be todai __PUNCT__

my friend __PUNCT__ i not here todai becaus i have had a lifelong ambit to hold the offic of the presid __PUNCT__

nor do i think i have all the answer for the problem that face thi countri __PUNCT__

i don't think ani person doe __PUNCT__

but i am a man who love hi countri __PUNCT__ who is concern about her futur __PUNCT__ and know that in the next year it go to requir strong leadership __PUNCT__

decis ar go to be made on thi next presid watch that go to determin the cours of our countri for mani year to come __PUNCT__

and i am determin that we make the decis that will leav us a stronger nation __PUNCT__ a more prosper nation __PUNCT__ and a more unit_nation __PUNCT__

and that why i run for the presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ thi whole process for us start around our kitchen_tabl just a few month_ago __PUNCT__

now we got a lot of process talk about __PUNCT__ oh __PUNCT__ you can't run for presid of the unit_state unless __PUNCT__ you know __PUNCT__ run for year __PUNCT__ unless you rais __PUNCT__ i think some of the pundit said __PUNCT__ rais___MONEY__ __MONEY___million thi calendar year __PUNCT__

no possibl of that __PUNCT__

but the more we look at it the more i thought that someth special wa go on in thi countri __PUNCT__

the more i look around my hous the more it occur to me what kind of world these kid ar go to grow up in __PUNCT__

these kid ar my grandkid __PUNCT__

what kind of countri ar thei go to have when thei get a littl older __PUNCT__ then i thought __PUNCT__ how often doe a man have a chanc to do someth about that __PUNCT__ so we test the water just like we said __PUNCT__

we went out to make sure what i wa feel wa actual there __PUNCT__ and i think it is my friend __PUNCT__

i think that the american_peopl have open up a door of opportun __PUNCT__

there have been door as you can see from my background all along my wai becaus i wa so fortun to have a wonder famili __PUNCT__ wonder parent __PUNCT__ and wonder peopl who often time saw more in me than i saw in myself all along my wai __PUNCT__

and those door occasion would open up __PUNCT__

and occasion i walk through on becaus it wa a challeng __PUNCT__ sometim a person on __PUNCT__ sometim for my state __PUNCT__ sometim on for my countri __PUNCT__

i feel thi is anoth door to serv the countri that i love __PUNCT__

so the pre __PUNCT__ season is over __PUNCT__

let get on with it __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ now folk __PUNCT__ there ar mani seriou issu that ar face thi countri __PUNCT__ and it time for some seriou convers about it __PUNCT__

i think the american peopl ar readi for that __PUNCT__

i think thei readi for frank convers __PUNCT__

i think thei readi for forthright convers __PUNCT__ and that exactli what we go to do __PUNCT__

we don't know how to do it ani other wai __PUNCT__

it not worth do ani other wai unless you can do it that wai __PUNCT__

and we go to make sure that at the end of the dai if the good_lord is will we be victori __PUNCT__

but there on thing i think we can guarante and that is at the end of thi campaign by do that we will have done someth good for our nation __PUNCT__ and our countri will be better off for thi campaign __PUNCT__

and i hope you will help me do that __PUNCT__

that is my goal in life __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ as you have seen in thi littl video __PUNCT__ i thought about just run that video again instead of make a speech to tell you the truth __PUNCT__ i kind of like that __PUNCT__

but my stori is an american stori __PUNCT__ on that happen to mani time across thi great_nation of our __PUNCT__ where a kid of modest mean from a littl town without a whole lot of resourc or even a whole lot of ambit when he wa a kid had the opportun to do some great_thing for hi famili and hopefulli for the peopl of tennesse and the peopl of thi countri __PUNCT__

i seen it from a lot of differ standpoint __PUNCT__

i seen it from the factori floor when i wa work the graveyard shift and we have lunch there on the chang of the shift and i be ankl __PUNCT__ deep in water at the murrai ohio bicycl plant where i wa run a machin that wa so loud i couldn't hear myself yell if i want to __PUNCT__

and i had the opportun to dine with foreign leader in foreign_capit around the world and just about everyth in between __PUNCT__

and on of the thing i focus on kind of earli wa what i consid to be the most import_thing have to do with my countri and my countri futur __PUNCT__

and as the year_pass by unfortun it get more and more import __PUNCT__

that is our nation safeti __PUNCT__

that is the men __PUNCT__ women __PUNCT__ and children of thi countri and where it go to be a few year from now __PUNCT__

we live in the era of the suitcas bomb __PUNCT__

we live in an era of the prolifer of weapon of mass_destruct __PUNCT__ where a small_amount of materi get into the wrong hand can do destruct that we never thought possibl befor __PUNCT__

and thei more like than ever to fall into the hand of our wors enemi __PUNCT__

radic_islam ha declar_war upon us __PUNCT__

some year_ago peopl didn't pai much attent to it __PUNCT__

we didn't even recogn the fact that it happen __PUNCT__ but we know it now __PUNCT__

thei look upon it as someth that been go on for hundr of year and as far as thei concern thei will to take it anoth hundr_year as thei method move_forward massacr innoc_peopl __PUNCT__

bring the soviet_union to it knee __PUNCT__ who thei consid the tougher oppon __PUNCT__ and now thei upon us and all those who would befriend us around the world __PUNCT__

iraq is a part of that conflict but iraq is not that conflict __PUNCT__

that conflict will be with us unfortun long after iraq is in our rear view mirror __PUNCT__ and the whole world watch and wait as the determin of the american_peopl is test __PUNCT__

my friend __PUNCT__ if we show weak and divis we will pai a heavi price for it in the futur __PUNCT__

we must show the determin that we ar go to be unit as an american peopl and do whatev is necessari to prevail not onli in iraq but in the worldwid conflict that li beyond iraq __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ we have the bravest young_peopl in the world fight for us __PUNCT__ and we have to match their commit and determin here at home __PUNCT__

you talk to them in these hospit __PUNCT__ the on who have been grievous wound __PUNCT__ their biggest concern is get back to the folk that thei left back and concern that their wound ar so great that thei might not be allow to do that __PUNCT__

it magnific __PUNCT__ and everi wake moment of a command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief should be to make sure that peopl like that effort ar and their famili sacrific ar not made in vain __PUNCT__

and i don't intend that to be __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ meanwhil __PUNCT__ back at home the politician have been quit busi __PUNCT__ quit busi spend the next gener monei __PUNCT__

pretti soon we will have spent the social_secur surplu and the babi_boomer will start retir just in a few year from now on the next presid watch __PUNCT__

and of cours it sky __PUNCT__ rocket from there __PUNCT__ and it will result in astronom __PUNCT__ high deficit __PUNCT__ a tax_burden on the next gener and gener to come __PUNCT__ and a ruinat of our economi __PUNCT__

everi economist who look at thi includ our own govern_offici who ar the watchdog agenc such as the govern_account_offic sai that thi path is unsustain __PUNCT__

everybodi in washington know it __PUNCT__

you know on of the argument against term_limit __PUNCT__ you know i put term limit on myself when i went to the unit_state state_senat and i still think it a pretti_good good_idea to tell you the truth __PUNCT__ but on of the argument against that is look at all the expertis you lose if you had term_limit __PUNCT__

is it expertis that we lack or is it lack of will to do the right thing __PUNCT__ i think it is the latter __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ yet the politician kick the can down the road until presum their own retir __PUNCT__ somebodi els problem __PUNCT__

i wonder if our littl kid and our grandchildren and those yet to be born had a seat at the tabl what thei sai about it __PUNCT__ wonder what thei sai to us __PUNCT__

i wonder what thei think about us __PUNCT__

my friend __PUNCT__ we need to deliv a messag to washington that we better than that __PUNCT__

and you can start deliv that messag by elect a presid who will blow the whistl on thi lack of respons __PUNCT__ and i the gui who will do that __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ go fred go __PUNCT__ now there ar a lot of issu that we have a chanc to talk about all across iowa in larg_group and small __PUNCT__ i hope __PUNCT__

no wai in on speech to touch on all of them __PUNCT__

i think on thing is import to point out though in my estim __PUNCT__

that is there ar go to be issu regardless of what we come up with in term of an issu list that the next presid cannot forese __PUNCT__ that we can't forese __PUNCT__

some we know about will still be with us __PUNCT__ but there will be new on __PUNCT__

i think it veri import the peopl_understand a man principl __PUNCT__ what he measur thing by __PUNCT__ what will be the standard that he appli as issu come befor him __PUNCT__

as far as i concern i still have the same commonsens conserv belief i did when i ran in __NUM__ __PUNCT__

we were abl to win that elect go from on end of that state to the other __PUNCT__ talk about the sanctiti of life __PUNCT__ talk about lower_tax __PUNCT__ talk about less regul __PUNCT__ talk about the market_economi __PUNCT__ talk about free competit __PUNCT__ talk about respect for privat_properti right in thi countri __PUNCT__ talk about free and fair_trade and all those thing that make_america america_great __PUNCT__ and if i said then if we just stick with that __PUNCT__ the american_peopl agre with these thing __PUNCT__ we just stick with that __PUNCT__ not onli will we be success __PUNCT__ but we continu to be prosper in thi countri __PUNCT__ we been a beacon for all those countri out there who appli those same_principl thei all been success __PUNCT__

the american_peopl said ye __PUNCT__ __NUM__ wa success __PUNCT__ and surpris a lot of peopl rememb __PUNCT__ clinton kind of clean our clock there for a littl __PUNCT__ we came back strong and got a mandat __PUNCT__ cut_tax __PUNCT__ balanc the budget __PUNCT__ pass welfar_reform __PUNCT__ and made congress live under the same law as everyon els __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ it __PUNCT__ wa the first thing i did with chuck grasslei wa get that bill_pass __PUNCT__ under hi tutelag __PUNCT__ not a bad_gui to learn from __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ so i that same gui __PUNCT__ i haven't chang from those principl anywher along the wai __PUNCT__

i the same gui with the same_principl that i had when i went back to lawrenceburg and start the first republican club when i got out of law_school in __NUM__ __PUNCT__

i the same gui i wa when i came out over the year here campaign for republican_candid becaus i thought it wa a good_thing for my parti and a good thing for my countri __PUNCT__ and i still think that wai __PUNCT__

but these posit ar base upon certain principl __PUNCT__

i call them first principl __PUNCT__ i call them the principl that our countri wa found upon __PUNCT__ mani year_ago __PUNCT__

thei base upon the notion that some thing in thi chang world just don't chang __PUNCT__

it base upon an appreci of human_natur __PUNCT__

it base upon the wisdom of the ag __PUNCT__

it base upon the believ that the declar of independ and the constitut of the unit_state ar not outmod document that can be cast asid __PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ we still get our basic right from god and not from govern __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ we still have a govern where power is divid __PUNCT__ not just at the feder_level but between feder and state_level __PUNCT__ feder is about freedom __PUNCT__ it about individu_freedom __PUNCT__ it about polit_freedom __PUNCT__ it about econom_freedom __PUNCT__

it about an understand that a govern_power enough to give you everyth __PUNCT__ can take awai from you __PUNCT__ anyth __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ it base upon the notion that we want a govern that is limit to the power deleg to it in the constitut __PUNCT__ but a govern that is strong enough to protect our peopl and a govern that is compet enough to do the thing a govern is suppos to be do __PUNCT__ yet more and more we see that is not true __PUNCT__

when i wa chairman of the govern affair committe in __NUM__ i put out a report call __PUNCT__ govern at the brink __PUNCT__ a two volum report __PUNCT__ and i point out just how hopelessli mess up the bureaucraci in our feder_govern wa __PUNCT__ and how mani billion of dollar we were wast __PUNCT__

the fact wa that we couldn't get comput to talk to each other __PUNCT__ we couldn't get govern_agenc or the govern itself to realli pass an audit __PUNCT__ couldn't live up to the standard we put on privat_busi at all __PUNCT__

an outmod civil_servic system __PUNCT__ we weren't get enough peopl in that we need with the high_tech requir that the futur wa go to bring us __PUNCT__

we made it virtual_imposs to get rid of peopl who weren't do their job __PUNCT__ on __PUNCT__ and on __PUNCT__ and on __PUNCT__ and on __PUNCT__

that wa my opinion then and folk i haven't chang my mind a bit __PUNCT__

it even wors than it wa befor __PUNCT__

it go to requir strong leadership to do someth about it becaus now we see it affect nation_secur __PUNCT__ now we see it as an excus for not even enforc our border against illeg_immigr and we can't toler that in thi countri becaus we know that a countri who cannot secur it own border ultim will not remain a sovereign_nation __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ that battl in congress over that last immigr_bill is the latest in sever piec of evid that demonstr without a shadow of a doubt that there is a major disconnect between washington dc and the american_peopl __PUNCT__

becaus we look to congress we see divis __PUNCT__ acrimoni __PUNCT__ disrupt __PUNCT__ look to everyth to the next elect and not the next gener __PUNCT__ short side polit opportun __PUNCT__ here and there __PUNCT__

is thi the govern that our democrat friend sai should plai a larger role in all of our live __PUNCT__ i don't think so __PUNCT__

it kind of iron __PUNCT__ that the democrat ar move more and more toward the western_european system of higher_tax __PUNCT__ more regul __PUNCT__ and larger_govern __PUNCT__ when countri like franc and germani ar move more our wai __PUNCT__ you know thei ought to read the newspap onc in awhil __PUNCT__ some good_thing ar happen over there now base upon our tradit principl __PUNCT__

principl that understand that the rule of law underli everyth els in thi countri __PUNCT__ peopl can go in and get a fair shot __PUNCT__ and a fair hear in a fair court __PUNCT__ base upon the law of the constitut __PUNCT__

unfortun the rule of law is violat more by judg themselv more than anyon els __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ that why i wa so happi to stand by chief_justic justic_john john_robert __PUNCT__ side __PUNCT__ he a great chief_justic __PUNCT__ but he need some help __PUNCT__

we need anoth on or two __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ if i elect_presid of the unit_state i will appoint judg who will follow the constitut __PUNCT__ not shape the constitut to fit their own polit or person notion about how societi ought to oper __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ i seen both kind of judg up close __PUNCT__ and i know the differ __PUNCT__ i don't need anybodi to point that out to me __PUNCT__

my friend thi is what i believ __PUNCT__ and have believ __PUNCT__ and will continu to as best for our countri __PUNCT__

i think it what you believ __PUNCT__

i think that what the american_peopl believ __PUNCT__

just as when i first start out in polit __PUNCT__

i don't think their opinion about the basic have chang __PUNCT__

it might look like our side opinion everi onc and awhil ha chang __PUNCT__

but the american peopl __PUNCT__ haven't __PUNCT__

whatev the issu ar that we face __PUNCT__ whether we talk about health_care __PUNCT__ or educ __PUNCT__ or energi __PUNCT__ all those import_thing __PUNCT__ the applic of those first principl __PUNCT__ the applic of those common_sens conserv belief will result in a stronger and stronger nation __PUNCT__

that what thi is all about __PUNCT__ that why i here todai __PUNCT__ and that why you here todai __PUNCT__

we ar citizen of the greatest nation on earth __PUNCT__ and that make us the luckiest peopl on earth __PUNCT__

that carri with it certain oblig __PUNCT__ oblig to do everyth that we can that it remain the greatest nation on earth and that we leav thi place littl better than we came into it __PUNCT__

that what it all about __PUNCT__

you know you look back over our histori __PUNCT__ and it doesn't take you long to realiz that our peopl have shed more blood for other peopl __PUNCT__ liberti than ani other combin of nation in the histori of the world __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ frankli i a littl tire of other peopl __PUNCT__ need to apolog for it __PUNCT__

i don't think we have anyth to apolog for __PUNCT__

we ar steep in the tradit of honor and sacrific for the greater_good __PUNCT__

we ar proud of that heritag __PUNCT__ i think thi time in america_histori american ar onc again readi to do the thing necessari to achiev that greater_good __PUNCT__

that greater good is noth less than the secur __PUNCT__ prosper and uniti of the greatest nation in the world __PUNCT__

i think most american still share those ideal and principl __PUNCT__ and if we appli them and stai true __PUNCT__ it doesn't matter what the pundit sai todai __PUNCT__ we will win next year when it count __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ my friend __PUNCT__ our countri need us to win __PUNCT__ our countri need us to win __PUNCT__ i am readi to lead that fight __PUNCT__ let us do it togeth __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ thank you veri much for be here todai __PUNCT__ thank you __PUNCT__